May 5, 2015 by admin

RCB lose way in home stretch

Chennai, A sensational bowling effort by Chennai Super Kings saw them defend an average total and crush Royal Challengers Bangalore by 24 runs to regain their position at the top of the table here today.
Having posted just 148 for nine, the CSK bowlers, led by Ashish Nehra (3/19 in four overs) and Dwayne Bravo (2/19 in 3.4 overs), exhibited brilliant death-over skills to bundle out RCB for 124 in 19.4 overs.
Such was the dominance of the CSK bowlers at the back end of the innings that RCB lost as many as seven wickets for 27 runs in just 5.5 overs. From a relatively comfortable 97 for three, with another 52 runs to get, the RCB’s slump started when Bravo effected a superb reflex run-out off his own bowling to get rid of skipper Virat Kohli (48, 44 balls).
Kohli hit two fours and a six during his knock as he added 63 runs for the fourth wicket with Dinesh Karthik (23) after they were left tottering at 34 for three. Once Kohli was gone, the procession started, with Karthik snapped up in the deep off Nehra in the 15th over. In his very next over, the veteran seamer removed Safaraz Khan (8) and Harshal Patel (0) to take his wickets tally to 17 in the tournament.
Bravo, on his part, bowled an exceptional 18th over with clever change ups and the off-cutters which led to Mitchell Starc playing four dot balls.
MS Dhoni read the pitch perfectly; he knew it would slow down with the passage of time and stroke-making would be extremely difficult in the second half. His intuition turned out to be spot on as his bowlers vindicated his decision.